Roller straightening machine with axially adjustable straightening roller shafts



July 29, 1969 F. PERNER ROLLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINE WITH AXIALLY ADJUSTABLE STRAIGHTENING ROLLER SHAFTS Filed Aug. 50, 1967 INVENTOR FRIEDRICH PERNER BY HENRY C. WESTIN HIS ATTORNEY 3,457,755 ROLLER STRAIGHTENING MACHINE WITH AXIALLY ADJUSTABLE STRAIGHTENING ROLLER SHAFIS Friedrich Perner, Sonnenhang, Germany, assignor to Siegener Maschinenbau G.m.b.H., a corporation of Germany Filed Aug. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 664,438 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 1, 1966, s 105,635 Int. Cl. B2111 1/02, 3/02 U.S. Cl. 72164 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention concerns a roller straightening machine with axially adjustable straightening rollers shafts which are supported in a bearing body in the shape of a hollow cylinder which, in turn, is supported in the machinery frame and by means of an external thread engages a corresponding female thread of the machinery frame. The axial adjustment of the straightening roller shaft is performed by a rotation of the bearing body executed with the aid of a power drive which rotates in the thread which guides it screws backward or forward, respectively, depending on the sense of rotation. In the known machines the transmission of the drive forces is performed via worm gears designed as reducing gears whose last worm wheel, in the direction of the drive, is provided on the free end of the bearing body. This well-known design shows a number of considerable disadvantages. One has reference to the fact that the shaft of the worm acting on the bearing surface must be arranged in the frame of the machine within the range of the bearing body crosswise to the longitudinal direction of the straightening roller shafts resulting in a relatively complicated construction and a considerable space requirement result for the drive arrangement. Beyond that, the worm gear participates in the axial adjustment so that the usual design fitting the worm can not be employed so that a simple gear rim arrangement with slanting teeth must be used. Such a gear rim permits, in each case, only small bearing surfaces so that high surface pressures result which adversely influence the lifetime and utilization of the gearing.

The present invention provides a drive similar in construction and service which with small dimensions permits avoiding unfavorable surface pressures.

The solution for this problem is found by equipping the bearing bodies of the roller straightening machine holding the straightening roller shafts with an internal gearing with which a prearranged geared motor meshes with the aid of a pinion provided on a drive shaft parallel to the axis. In doing this it has proved valuable to flange the motor to the frame of the machine. In the preferred arrangement the geared motor is equipped with a braking device which blocks it.

3,457,755 Patented July 29, 1969 In detail the characteristics of the invention are explained with the aid of the following description of a practical example in conjunction with a drawing illustrating the latter.

The straightening roller shaft 1 is held in a bearing body 2 shaped as a hollow cylinder which, in turn, is supported in the machine frame 4 by means of a bushing 3. The bearing body 2 is equipped with an external thread within a portion 5, with which a corresponding internal thread '6 of the machine frame 4 meshes.

The free end of the bearing body 2 is equipped with an internal gearing 7 which is in operational contact with a pinion 8, the latter being arranged on the drive shaft 9 of a geared motor 10. The geared motor, whose plane of intersection lies so far behind that of the straightening roller shaft and that of the machinery parts supporting it, that the pinion meshes with the rim of the gear, is flanged to the wall 12 of the machinery frame via an opening. A shoulder of the flange 11 takes over in this the task of centering within the opening.

To carry out an axial adjustment the braking device, coordinated with the geared motor 10 feasibly within the gearing, is released and the motor is energized in the suitable sense. Geared down by the intermediate gearing, it drives the drive shaft 9 which rotates the bearing body 2 by means of the pinion 8 meshing with the rim of the gear 7. The threads 5 and 6 herein effect the desired axial adjustment.

The meshing of the pinion 8 with the gear rim 7 remains independent of the length of adjustment and within the whole adjustment region of the straightening roller shaft 1 usual values of the surface pressure are attained. In doing this it is only required to shape the pinion 8 in such a manner that its length exceeds the thickness of the gear rim 7, at least by the length of adjustment of the straightening roller shaft. Simple spur gearing, slanting teeth gearing or the like may be used at will. This design of a roller straightening machine is not complicated by coordinating the drives effecting the axial adjustment since these as preassembled motor and drive units represent only a comparatively small outlay and there is only a simple opening in the wall 12 of the machinery frame to be provided in conjunction with drilled holes for the support bolts to get them mounted. Also, if maintenance or service work becomes necessary, the compact, simple design permits checking or dismantling at low cost. The design, compact in itself, proves space saving, especially due to the fact that the meshing of the drive of the bearing bushing is placed into the space required by itself due to the internal gearing. By avoiding unadvantageously small surfaces of application, one achieves that even with a relatively small diameter as well as a small thickness of the internal gearing 7, values of surface pressure can be attained which do not exceed the usual values.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a roller straightening machine including a plurality of shafts each for carrying a straightening roller,

an outer concentric sleeve for each shaft, said sleeves being supported for axial adjustment by a stationary frame,

external threads being formed on each sleeve and arranged to mesh with separate internal threads formed on said frame,

power means for each sleeve and including a gear train a References Cited for rotating said sleeves relative to said frame, UNITED STATES PATENTS the improvement comprising free ends being formed in each sleeve on which ends are formed internal 2 g2: gear teeth, I

a pinion means for each sleeve arranged in meshing 5 21272415 4/1942 72247 X relationship with the internal gear teeth of the sleeves, 2,501,087 3/1950 Plcton ct 72-164 means for connecting said pinion means to said power l i gli n means, and eu each power means comprising a combined gear motor 10 2,834,216: 5/1958 Thompson 7489-15 unit.

2. In a roller straightener according to claim 1 Where! MILTON MEHR Pnmary Exammer in each gear motor unit includes a flange, and I U S Cl X R means for securing said flanges to said frame. 3. In a roller straightener according to claim 1 where- 15 in said gear motor units each include a braking device. 

